


When You're Down

by Starshaker



Series: 30 days of Techienician [14]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Frustration, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 17:03:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8064817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starshaker/pseuds/Starshaker
Summary: 30 Days of TechienicianDay 14 : Comfort. 
Just when they both make plans for their shared day off, Tehcie's chronic pain flares and Matt doesn't know what to do.





	

Matt had barely slept for the excitement of the day’s activities to come. An engineering exhibit that had piqued Techie’s interest nearly a month ago and they were finally going to explore it before it was packed up and moved on in a few days time. The scarcity of their days off, let alone their shared days off prevented them from having many day trips and long days out together.

Matt had been up for three hours already; he’d prepped breakfast for them both, tidied up, watered Techie’s plants and started the coffee brewing when the clock ticked over to nine o’clock and Matt glanced back at the bedroom door. Techie was almost always up before him. Too restless to stay in bed, too many ideas and too many aches and too little time to spare that every moment was useful for something. At nine o’clock Techie would usually be the one badgering Matt, albeit with kisses until Matt was awake enough to be convinced into doing whatever Techie had hoped to do in the day. 

Matt pushed the door open less than a foot to peer inside. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark colours outlines by the thin band of light coming in around the blind. The covered were tucked into a tight bundle on the far side of the bed, somewhere under them Techie was huddled in on himself. Matt carefully stepped inside, he had to mind his feet on the door stopped, the errant clothes, the chair, and a dozen bits from Techie’s workstation-slash-desk that became stuck to his clothes and dropped off as he moved.

“Techie,” Matt said as he circled the bed, “I thought we were going out today, You were going to-,” His words faltered and stopped when Techie peeked out from beneath the covers. His eyes seemed more red and inflamed, his skin paler than it’s normal alabaster shade, his lips were pale too. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything hurts,” Techie said.

“Everything can’t hurt,” Matt said as set a hand down over Techie’s shoulder. Techie flinched and groaned. “Everything hurts,”

“Told you about all the stuff wrong with me,” Techie said and averted his gaze.

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Matt answered automatically.

“You don’t believe me,”

“No I-”

“I don’t think I’m very good company right now,” Techie said, interrupting Matt before he could apologise further. 

“Does that mean you don’t want me here or you don’t think I want to be here?”

“I’m annoyed,” Techie said, his voice half muffled from the covers as he sank back underneath them.

“What’re you annoyed about?” Matt asked. 

“Being ill when I wanted to do things, that I’m always in pain, that I can’t find the words to explain it to you,” Techie said and shut his eyes tight, “I’m annoyed that you can’t understand my chronic pain, so I don’t think you want to be here,”

“I don’t want you to be in pain. What can I do?” Matt asked and Techie glared back up at him.

“Nothing. There’s nothing to do. I think I just need to stay here,” Techie said sullenly, “You should go out. You shouldn’t be stuck inside on your day off just because I am,”

“Right,” Matt nodded once and stepped back around the bed. Techie’s harsh words hung in the front of his mind, “You sleep then,”

Matt left the room and as he shut the door carefully behind him he suddenly found he couldn’t think of a single thing besides how he couldn’t help Techie when he needed him. 

 

An hour later...

Matt set down the plate of food on the table, a box of pain relief, a glass of orange juice, a notebook a pen, a heat pack and a cold pack. Techie shifted and a pair of bleary eyes fell on Matt’s spoils. 

“Will any of these help?”

“You shouldn't have bought all of this,” Techie muttered 

“I didn’t. Told Ms Mallory the sob story that you’re in pain and I didn’t know what to do,”

“I don’t like being your sob story,” Techie said and frowned. 

“No, no that’s not what I meant,” Matt said quickly and reached out to Touch Techie before he thought better of it and pulled back before his touch caused more pain. “Shit,” Matt sank to the floor and sat with his back to the bedside table,. “I don’t know what to do to help and I thought if anyone would know what might help it’s Ms Mallory,”

“I told you I wasn’t good company, you should have done something today rather than worry about me,” Techie said.

“Can I stay here? I’ll be quiet and let you sleep or whatever,”

“Yes,”

“I’ll just grab my comic book,”

Matt soon returned. As he settled himself back on the floor with his back against the bed he noticed the half drunk orange juice, the hot and cold packs had vanished and the pain relief meds had been opened. After a minute or so Techie reached out from under the covers and rested his hand on Matt’s shoulder. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” He said and squeezed Matt’s shoulder gently.

“No you don’t,”

“You’re not a bad boyfriend,” Techie said, “No-one really gets it,” Matt didn’t reply but did crane his head slightly to trap and nuzzle Techie’s hand for a moment.

When Matt next looked up from his comic book Techie was fast asleep, wrapped up in the cocoon of blankets and a sheen of sweat across his forehead.

“I love you Techie,”


End file.
